If I told you this one was "Seven" meets "Cube" by way of a Nine Inch Nails video (with a sprinkling of "The Silence of the Lambs" thrown in for flavor), you'd probably dismiss the movie as something less than unique or original, let alone brain-crackingly cool. In which case you might overlook "Saw", which is easily one of the most deliciously gruesome and addictively entertaining horror movies I've seen in years. Yes, I said years.

Two complete strangers awaken in a disgusting bathroom in the middle of god-knows-where. They're both chained by the ankles and escape seems quite impossible; but a handful of disturbing clues are left behind (not the least of which is a dead man with his brains blown out), and the pair quickly find themselves unraveling a collection of mysteries that are probably better left unmolested.

This is the opening scene of Saw, the brilliant new horror flick from first-time filmmakers James Wan (director) and Leigh Whannell (screenwriter), and one that will fascinate anyone with even a passing interest in the horror genre. To divulge much more of the deliciously twisted storylines would be a grave disservice to those who wish to be so wholly blown away by the nasty twists that Saw provides...

...but suffice to say that the flick's about one serial killer, two desperate cops, three or four skin-wrenchingly slick sequences of terrorizing torture, and five or six well-earned scares that will have even the most jaded Gorehound squirming happily in their seats.

If you're even half of a true blue movie nut, then you certainly harbor some admiration for actor Cary Elwes. This is the guy who stole scenes whole in Glory, The Chase, Shadow of the Vampire, Liar Liar, Hot Shots!, Twister and Kiss the Girls. Heck, he's the Dread Pirate Roberts! (If you don't know The Princess Bride by now, you're officially banished from reading my reviews. Sorry.) When Cary's name pops up in the opening credits (usually 4th or 5th), we think "Hey, cool. At the very least I get another visit with a character actor I dig."

Anyway, Cary plays Dr. Gordon, one of the chained and detained, Whannell himself snags the role of the also confused & captured Adam, Monica Potter is the doctor's wife, Danny Glover and Ken Leung are the detectives on the case, and heck - even the adorable Dina Meyer pops up as a criminologist with a few horrific tales to tell.

Saw boasts one of those fractured narratives, one that doubles back on itself a few times to divulge the creepiness in the most shocking doses, and it's great to see a movie that uses this technique because it actually works. Most filmmakers that attempt this gimmick do so for one reason: if they told their story in A-B-C fashion...you'd fall asleep. Not so here, as Wan and Whannell tip their cards craftily and quite confidently. As the surprises unfold, you feel satisfied and not cheated. That's good stuff.

Visually, Saw is gritty, grungy, pallid and stark. It's gross, grimy bathrooms and dark, dreary dungeons. Some may opt to dismiss many of Wan's directorial flourishes as those overtly inspired by David Fincher or David Lynch or Clive Barker, to which another could respond "And? The kid's got good taste!"

It would be a stunning disservice to Charlie Clouser and his brutally effective musical score were I not to mention how blisteringly cool it is, so I just did. Clouser's strains (not at all unlike the work he's done for Nine Inch Nails as a producer, songwriter and drummer) deliver rough-edged icing onto Saw's cold, rusty cake.

Shot, cut, finished and ready for its film festival debut in just under five full months, and clearly conceived by two young filmmakers who have just as much love for the Horror Genre as they do talent to pull it off, SAW is the absolute highlight of the 2004 Sundance Film Festival, a potential goldmine for the fine folks at Lion's Gate Films, and a cult classic waiting to happen for those who like their Horror Movies dark, smart, twisted and hard.

OFFICIAL SELECTION: 2004 Sundance Film Festival. For more in the 2004 Sundance Film Festival series, click here.
OFFICIAL SELECTION: 2004 Toronto Film Festival. For more in the 2004 Toronto Film Festival series, click here.
OFFICIAL SELECTION: 2004 Boston Fantastic Film Festival. For more in the 2004 Boston Fantastic Film Festival series, click here.
Trilogy Starters: For more in the Trilogy Starters series, click here.

User Comments

9/13/17

morris campbell

torture porn with some twists nothing more

9/22/15

Kyndal Smith

One of the best horror series of all time!

2/06/13

gohar

funn

2/09/12

David Hollingsworth

This is the best film in the series. Watch this one, and the sequel. I would stop there.

9/06/11

sylvia jastrzebski

great effects, awesome movie - keeps you on the edge of your seat!!!

8/11/11

Sharon Hinrichs

It was something original in the horror genre.

3/15/11

Annabel

LOVED it. Ingenious, makes you think, clever, AUSTRALIAN!

2/09/11

Lundon

What a fantastic smart ending totally worth watching

3/03/10

Stanley Thai

An interesting film with a brilliant twist ending.

10/07/09

Darryl

Great, ORIGINAL, horror film. Don't get all the criticism of Elwes acting, he was good.

9/01/09

Wagner

Good morning. Write down the advice of him who loves you, though you like it not at present

3/17/09

Josie Cotton is a goddess

The MTV directing style kept talking me out of the movie, as a result it's not suspenseful

2/17/09

action movie fan

actually a good shocker good suspense and surprise ending

10/31/08

tiffany pettey

this one was the first and the best

10/28/08

Sugarfoot

A good idea but only so-so execution. Elwes' performance a big minus against film.

8/11/08

Axl

if you like sadism and total moral depravity in a director, this one's for you.

7/23/08

David V

I loved the concept and the direction was well executed, but the acting was a laugh riot.

7/19/08

Shaun Wallner

Great Horror film!!

7/06/08

Jason Strickland

Absolutely could have been so much more

6/11/08

Dawn MCPike

too scary for me....didn't get it

6/03/08

PAUL SHORTT

A TWISTED AND GORY HORROR FILM THATS NOT FOR ANYONE, LET ALONE THE SQUEAMISH

5/21/08

sebastian rea

The acting was unbearable. The film sucked! Why is everyone so into watching this crap?

5/11/08

Tabitha Rabisa

The 3rd best horror film ever made (the rest of the trilogy being the other 2)

4/12/08

paul

Excellent, brilliant. Concept is genious

3/24/08

Lemonette

Needlessly gory, but I like a surprise ending, How can you over

3/10/08

beatrice

Who the hell would watch this crap

3/03/08

Danny

I agree w/Scott W's review - Elwes is always awesome, and so is this movie!

2/18/08

Jordan

Gotta disagree with you this time david. The film is engaging and interesting. (4 Stars)

2/16/08

Tracey Pounds

Love the show. Have watched it several times!

11/19/07

bre

the saw movies are only the best movies EVER

11/18/07

marina

I love this movie it's one of my favourites

11/04/07

Total Crap

I hate the Saw series, the first one was, eh.

10/29/07

sadsa

fuck you

10/26/07

Carly

Pure genius.

10/14/07

edwin menguin

i must be getting old

8/07/07

Johnny

Interesting enough to watch once, but hardly comparable to the brilliant "Cube."

7/11/07

Hello Stranger

a great twist. i did not see that coming at all

6/26/07

jerrad

i see a lot of stupid reasons to hate the film. my favorite one "pointless twists" dumbass!

6/13/07

Dave

a little to graphic for me

5/09/07

Nic

Straight from film school to make a ground breaking film WIKID!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

4/30/07

Jess

This is a awesom movie i LOVE the saw movies

4/06/07

suhas

I loved it because it put me into a horrific atmoshphere that I had never experienced befor

4/04/07

Double M

Whether you found the twist genius or improbable, you just can't deny the SHOCK. i loved it